ABSTRACT
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are submicron moieties made of inorganic or organic (e.g., polymeric) materials, which may or may not be biodegradable. Their importance relates to the fact that the characteristics of these nanoparticles are different from those of bulk materials of the same composition, which is principally because of size effects, the magnetic and electronic properties, and the role played by surface phenomena when the size is reduced. MNPs are used foremost in the targeted drug delivery with reduced side effects and restricted drug release. The toxicity of nanoparticles is lessened due to the outer coating elevating their applicability as drug targeting agents. The advantages of these nanoparticles for their exemplifying application in the drug delivery at the target site are highlighted. The stability of the nanoparticles made inroads in the medicine and their wide flexibility increases their chance of removing the contaminants. MNPs are classified as ferromagnetic and paramagnetic based on their response toward the magnetic field. One targeted delivery technique that has gained prominence in recent years is the use of MNPs for noninvasive imaging. In these systems, therapeutic compounds are attached to biocompatible MNPs and magnetic fields generated outside the body are focused on specific in vivo targets. Future prospective and challenges faced by MNPs in the drug 224delivery and their scope has also been addressed. The unique magnetic properties and their ability to function at the cellular and molecular level of biological interactions created an attractive platform for the development of advanced technologies and enabling the diagnosis and treatment of the disease with greater effectiveness than ever before.
